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With the Census in Progress, the Overall Perception of Importance and Intent to Participate Has Grown – Especially Among Hispanics

Three Quarters Are Confident that Their Personal Information Will Not Be Shared

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

New York, NY – In a new Ipsos-Telemundo telephone poll conducted through the month of March, 95% of the 500 Hispanics residing in the United States interviewed said that it is important for everyone living in the U.S. to be counted in the 2010 census. This represents a seven point increase from results released in January (88%). In comparison, a slightly lower proportion of the general population (90%) agree that it is important for everyone to take part, according to a telephone survey of 1,000 members of the U.S. population at large conducted between March 1 and March 17.

The results also suggest that this perception of importance may translate into intent for action, as 96% of Hispanics agree that they and their families intend to participate in the census (including 86% who completely agree). Interestingly, Spanish-dominant Hispanics seem to be more eager to participate in the Census than those who are more comfortable communicating in English, as 90% of those who are more comfortable in Spanish completely agree that they intend to take part in the census, compared to 82% of English dominant Hispanics, an eight point gap.

When comparing the opinion of Hispanics to the U.S. population at large, the results suggest Hispanics are more interested on being counted, as just over nine in ten (92%) members of the population at large agree that they plan to be counted. This represents a four point gap when compared to Hispanics, a gap that broadens among those who completely agree (80% among the population at large vs. 86% among Hispanics).

Most Hispanics Agree it’s Their Duty to Take Part

The survey indicates that most Hispanics agree it is their duty to take part in the 2010 U.S. Census, as 91% of them agree (including 79% who completely agree). This proportion mirrors that of the population at large, where 91% of the respondents also agree. However, members of the general population are less likely than are Hispanics to completely agree (72% vs. 79%).

Three Quarters Are Confident that Their Information Will Not Be Shared with Other Organizations

Three in four Hispanics (74%) agree that they are confident that the personal information collected during the Census will not be shared with other government organizations. This represents an increase of 11 percentage points since the month of February, when 63% of interviewed Hispanics reported being confident. Interestingly, most of this increase in confidence can be attributed to Spanish-dominant Hispanics. While the proportion of English-dominant Hispanics who are confident in the confidentiality of personal information increased six points from 59% (in February) to 65% (in March), the proportion of Spanish-dominant Hispanics increased by 15 points (from 66% in February to 81% in March).

As observed in previous polls, Hispanics are more likely than the population at large to be confident about the Census not sharing their personal information with other agencies. While 74% of Hispanics are confident, and just 16% are not; among the population at large just 61% agree say they are confident about their personal information being protected while 29% are not.

Knowledge about the Census also Increases

While a small proportion of Hispanics say they still have not heard about the Census (9%), the proportion of those who say they know at least a little about it has increased by 13 percentage points since February (up from 61% in February to 74% in March). Similarly, the proportion of Hispanics who say they know at lot about the Census has increased from 19% in February to 30% in March.

While the results of the Ipsos-Telemundo poll released in January showed substantial gaps regarding knowledge about the Census between Hispanics and the population at large, those gaps seem to be closing. While the results in January showed a 13 point gap between Hispanics and the population at large who reported knowing either “a little” or “a lot” about the Census (52% vs. 65%), in March this gap is down to just 7 points (74% among Hispanics vs. 81% among the population at large).

These are some of the findings of two parallel Ipsos polls. The findings among Hispanics are based on an Ipsos-Telemundo poll conducted from March 1-31, 2010 with a nationally representative sample of 500 Hispanics aged 18 and older, interviewed by telephone via Ipsos’ U.S. Hispanic Omnibus. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within 4.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of Hispanics in the U.S. been polled. The findings among the U.S. population at large are based on an Ipsos poll conducted March 1-17, 2010 with a nationally representative, randomly selected sample of exactly 1000 adults aged 18 and older across the United States interviewed via Ipsos’ U.S. Express Telephone Omnibus. With a sample of that size, the results are considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population in the U.S. been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to U.S. Census figures. In both polls, respondents had the option to be interviewed in English or Spanish.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Julio C Franco
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Public Affairs
New York, NY
646-313-6117julio.franco@ipsos.com

About Telemundo

Telemundo Communications Group ("Telemundo"), a division of NBC Universal, is a world-class media company, leading the industry in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content across its multi-platform portfolio to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. Telemundo's multiple platforms include Telemundo, a Spanish-language television network featuring original productions, theatrical motion pictures, news and first-class sports events reaching 93% of U.S. Hispanic viewers in 210 markets through its 15 owned-and-operated stations, 45 broadcast affiliates, and 800 cable affiliates; mun2, the preeminent voice for bicultural Hispanics in the U.S. reaching over 30 million U.S. TV households nationwide on digital and analog cable, satellite and free television; Telemundo Digital Media, which leverages Telemundo's original content for distribution across digital and emerging platforms including mobile devices and www.telemundo.com and www.holamun2.com ; and Telemundo Internacional, the company's international distribution arm which has positioned Telemundo as the second largest provider of Spanish-language content worldwide by syndicating content to more than 100 countries in over 35 languages.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals that helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world. Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends to develop and test emergent or existing products or services, and build brands. They also test advertising and study audience responses to various media, and measure public opinion around the globe.
They help clients create long-term relationships with their customers, stakeholders or other constituencies. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting and offers a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2009, Ipsos generated global revenues of €943.7 million ($1.33 billion U.S.).